THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY
ABOVE: The Rev. Ellen Warren-Rice is the first female pastor of Danville’s Allen Chapel AME Church (Jennifer Bailey/The News-Gazette)
DANVILLE — Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church was central to David Fields’ family’s upbringing and has been a big part of the community for 160 years.
Fields, the former Danville schools superintendent, has been a member of the church since he was a little kid and now helps with Sunday school. He remembers when the church moved from the Lauhoff area to 503 N. Jackson St.
“It’s been an awfully big part of my life and my family’s life,” he said.
Fields and other parishioners are looking forward to the church’s anniversary service, set for 3:30 p.m. Sunday. A larger celebration is planned for 2026, due to leadership transitions this year.
Fields also said “it’s fantastic” that the church has its first female pastor, the Rev. Ellen Warren-Rice.
“She’s a super person,” he said.
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